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Vol.
26 No. 3
Major Yearly
Events
and |
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Festivals |
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of Central
Thailand |
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| By Dararai |
The central region is Thailand's most fertile farming
area, home to orchards and paddy fields. Thus, there
is an ancient saying depicting the abundance of
the land: "In the waterways, there are fish
and in the paddy fields, there is rice." Apart
from enjoying the pleasant view of the expansive
green fields dotted with farmhouses, buffaloes and
cows, visitors to the central region will learn
the local ways of life including their customs and
traditions reflected through many interesting festivals
and events such as the following:
Chinese New Year Festival |
Thailand Milk Cow
Fair
Date:
January
Venue:
The Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand
(D.P.O.), Saraburi (107 km from BKK)
The annual Milk Cow Fair is held to show appreciation
to King Bhumibol's far-sightedness in establishing
the dairy farming industry in Thailand. During the
10-day period, there are plenty of activities taking
place such as an exhibition, seminars, demonstrations
of dairy product processing, a milk cow contest,
OTOP and dairy products for sales, and a cowboy
night. For more information, please
contact Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Lop
Buri Office, tel: 0 3642 2768 to 9.
Thailand Milk Cow Fair |
Thailand Chinese New
Year Festival
Date:
February
Venue:
Throughout Thailand, especially the Chinese communities
in Bangkok (Yaowarat Road), Nakhon Sawan (240 km
from BKK) and Pattaya (147 km from BKK)
Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion and
thanksgiving. The celebration is traditionally highlighted
with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven
and Earth, the gods of the household and the family
ancestors. In Thailand, this festival is celebrated
nationwide. Interesting activities include dragon
and lion dances, acrobatics and Chinese folk music
ensemble and other cultural performances. For
more information, please contact TAT (Bangkok
Office), tel: 0 2250 5500.
King Narai Reign Fair |
 King
Narai Reign Fair
Date:
February
Venue:
Narai Ratchaniwet Palace, Lop Buri (153 km from BKK)
King Narai Reign Fair is held to commemorate the reign
of King Narai the Great (ruling 1657-1688) of Ayutthaya.
The King is well known for promoting international
diplomatic relations, especially with the European
countries. The venue of the fair is Narai Ratchaniwet
Palace which is now the Lop Buri National Museum.
At the fair, there will be parades, cultural demonstrations,
folk games, exhibitions, and OTOP booths selling local
products. The highlights of the fair are a royal style
dinner as well as light and sound presentations of
the reign's fascinating history. For more
information, please contact TAT (Lop Buri
Office), tel: 0 3642 2768 to 9
Chai Nat Straw Birds
Fair |
Chai Nat Straw Birds
Fair
Date: February
Venue:
In front of Chai Nat Administration Hall, Provincial
Town, Chai Nat (194 km from BKK)
At this annual fair, tourists will witness the fantastically
decorated floats of large, brightly coloured straw
birds, which will join in a contest before the end
of the event. There will be many other activities
like students' performances, OTOP booths and stalls
selling 5-star local products and food. In addition,
Chai Nat Bird Park, situated nearby keeping more
than 100 species of birds and fishes, is worth visiting.
For more information, please contact TAT (Suphan
Buri Office), tel: 0 3553 6030.
Pomelos are one of
Nakhon
Pathom's best products. |
Nakhon Pathom Food,
Fruits and Best Products Fair
Date: February
Venue:
Phra Pathom Chedi, Nakhon Pathom (56 km from
BKK)
At the fair, various shops are joining in with their
best food or products. Apart from food, a range
of activities are provided. Highlights of this fair
are sampling freshly picked Thai fruits from the
orchards and shopping for food, fruits, and best
products of the province, including the local OTOP
products.
In addition to Phra Pathom Chedi, the world's tallest
pagoda, Nakhon Pathom is famous for great numbers
of wonderfully succulent and sweet fruits. The province
is also recognized for its delicious foods which
are not to be missed. For more information,
please contact TAT (Samut Songkhram Office), tel:
0 3475 2847 to 8.
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Ta Smit, a new rising
international Thai artiset, performing on
stage at Pattaya |
Pattaya International
Music Festival
Date: March
Venue: Pattaya
City Sport Centre, Pattaya, Chon Buri (147 km from
BKK)
Pattaya City stages its annual music festival in March
at Pattaya City Sport Centre. The event usually kicks
off at 6 p.m. and running for six consecutive hours
until midnight. The festival highlights over 100 famous
local stars and artists from Asia-Pacific countries
such as Australia and South Korea. Pattaya City is
well prepared for your convenience and safety throughout
the festival. For more information,
please contact TAT (Pattaya Office), tel: 0 3842 7667,
0 3842 8750.
Songkran Festival at
Phra Pradaeng |
Songkran Festival
at Phra Pradaeng in Samut Prakan
Date: April
Venue:
Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan (29 km from BKK)
The event highlights a grand procession of flags,
a Miss Songkran procession, a floral float procession,
a parade of young women dressed up in Mon costumes,
Mon local games, bird and fish releasing, a Miss
Songkran contest, and Mon style water splashing.
For more information, please contact TAT Bangkok
Office, tel: 0 2250 5500.
Floral Offerings Festival |
Floral Offerings Festival
Date: Around July
Venue:
Wat Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi (107 km from BKK)
This merit-making festival is held yearly on Khao
Phansa Day, i.e., the start of the three-month Rains
Retreat or Buddhist Lent, during which Buddhist
monks must spend the nights in their monasteries.
Floral offering is a way of making merit by presenting
flowers to Buddhist monks. This festival attracts
people from many parts of Thailand to the foot of
Phra Phutthabat hill, where monks in procession
are offered flowers with incense and then ascend
the hill to the Shrine of the Holy Footprint to
present the offerings as tribute to the Lord Buddha.
The festival includes a parade of beautifully carved
beeswax candles to be presented to Phra Phutthabat
Shrine and other temples, a beauty queen parade
and performances of folk dances. For more
information, please contact Saraburi's
Public Relations Office, tel: 0 3631 3433, 0 3622
3508.
The Blooming Sunflowers
Festival |
Blooming Sunflowers
in Lop Buri and Saraburi
Date: October-February
Venue:
Sunflower fields in Lop Buri
(153 km from BKK) and Saraburi (107 km from BKK)
The sunflower is one of the important cash crops
of the two provinces, which owns as many as 480
sq km of sunflower fields altogether. The magnificent
blooming sunflowers provide visitors with photogenic
scenery with the clear blue sky as the backdrop.
During the festival, besides the beautiful sunflowers,
you can also shop OTOP products and products of
sunflowers some of which are made fresh right from
the fields. For more information,
please contact TAT (Lop Buri Office), tel: 0 3642
2768 to 9.
The River Kwai Bridge
Week |
 The
River Kwai Bridge Week
Date: November-December
Venue:
Kanchanaburi (128 km from BKK)
The event is annually held to commemorate the tragic
history of the Death Railway in Kanchanaburi which
caused more than 100,000 workers to die. This railway
was built by the Japanese Army in 1942 during World
War II as a route of supply extending 413 km from
Nong Pladuk of Thailand to Thanbyuzayat of Burma (former
name of Myanmar). However, this railway was made use
of by the Japanese for only a few months because they
failed to turn back the overwhelming waves of counteroffensive
launched by the allied powers.
The festival features a historical exhibition, fun
fair, bazaar and enticing light & sound presentation.
For more information, please contact
TAT (Kanchanaburi Office), tel: 0 3451 1200, 3451
2500.
Loi Krathong Festival
Date: November
Venue:
Bangkok, Ayutthaya and throughout Thailand
The Loi Krathong is a romantic festival of Thailand
for it features impressive scenes of glittering
canals and rivers at night with candlelit vessels
(krathong in Thai) floating on. This festival is
celebrated all over the country. As for the central
region, Bangkok and Ayutthaya are major provinces
to enjoy it.
 In
Bangkok, you can be part of the joyous atmosphere
along the Chao Phraya riverside, especially under
the Rama VIII Bridge and at piers of several riverside
hotels. Illuminated boat processions add to the
magnificence of the night. In Ayutthaya, it is held
at Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre highlighting traditional
Thai houses and the feeling of olden days. When
you are at the site to float a krathong, you can
choose one from many on sale there. Prices are about
20-50 baht. Fore more information, please contact
TAT (Bangkok Office), tel: 0 2250 5500 and TAT (Ayutthaya
Office), tel: 0 3524 6076 to 7.
If you would like to join in any festival, please
gather more information from the Tourism Authority
of Thailand (TAT). It is important to reconfirm
details of each festival with TAT prior to travel.
You can also contact any travel agent to arrange
everything for you.
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